Brandon Murray G | Sophomore
Sophomore guard Brandon Murray comes to the Hoyas from LSU along with new associate head coach Kevin Nickelberry. Coming off of a freshman season where he averaged 10 ppg and three rpg, and improved in scoring from non-conference to conference play in a tough SEC conference, Murray is expected to make an immediate impact. He’s a great two-way player—efficient on defense and adept at scoring from all three levels (rim, midrange, and from three). He has the build to play and guard a wide range of positions and will hopefully be the star Georgetown needs. This might be Murray’s only year on the Hilltop though, as he definitely has the potential to go pro come season end.
Amir “Primo” Spears G | Sophomore
Sophomore transfer Amir “Primo” Spears made a name for himself last season at Duquesne. He led his team in starts (28), minutes per game (32.3), assists (3 apg), and scoring (12.7 ppg), including back-to-back 34-point and 30-point games to close out the season. He’ll look to make waves at Georgetown this year as the most likely candidate for the starting point guard job, especially after a since-deleted photo accidentally leaked the planned starting line-up and depth chart back in June. He averaged 18 ppg in the Kenner League (an elite summer basketball league that all Georgetown players participate in), finishing fourth in total points. If he lives up to his potential, this will be his breakout year in a major conference.
Wayne Bristol Jr. G | Junior
Wayne Bristol Jr. transferred from Howard last year but had to sit out due to NCAA transfer rules. He was dominant his freshman season, winning MEAC Rookie of the Year, but then missed the 2020-21 COVID-shortened season with an injury. In a press conference last season, Collin Holloway said that Bristol Jr. was a good shooter and better on defense than who they already had on the roster (Kaiden Rice, perhaps). He wasn’t exceptional in the Kenner League this summer, but to be fair, it was his first time playing organized basketball in over two years. It might take a couple of games for Bristol Jr. to get fully back up to speed, but he’ll hopefully be a solid roster addition and rotation player.
Denver Anglin G | Freshman
Freshman guard Denver Anglin is “arguably the most college-ready 3-point shooter in the country” according to 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein. In high school, Anglin played at an advanced level of competition as a point guard, but his strengths lie more in his shooting than his playmaking or driving abilities. Since he profiles better as an off-guard, his biggest weakness will be his height. He was a great defender in high school, but size plays a much bigger role at the college level, and it’s unclear at this time whether his high-effort defense will make up for that. Overall, his impressive scoring and ability to space the floor should earn him decent minutes.
Bryson Mozone F | Graduate Student
Bryson Mozone has the potential to be the veteran presence that Georgetown needs. He improved each of his four years at USC Upstate, peaking with 15.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg his senior year; although the BIG EAST will be a step up for him in the level of competition, he should still be able to make an impact as a role player and maybe even a starter. He’s a good 3-point shooter—a career 38.5 percent shooter from distance at USC Upstate—and will most likely fill Kaiden Rice’s role as the catch-and-shoot man. But defensively, it’s unclear how he’ll match up against BIG EAST-caliber players. Either way, he should be fun to watch.
Jay Heath G | Junior
The D.C. native is still a question mark for this season as his transfer waiver application eligibility hangs in the balance. Heath already transferred once from Boston College to Arizona State in 2021, using up his one-time transfer exception where he didn’t have to sit out a season in between schools. However, since he’s from D.C., his transfer to Georgetown should be viewed as a transfer home, which is generally considered an acceptable reason to receive a waiver. If he does get an exemption, Heath will be an invaluable asset to the Hoyas. He shot 43 percent from beyond the arc for the Sun Devils last year in a major conference, and if there’s anything we learned from the final minute of the home DePaul game last year, it’s that Georgetown could use a guy who can come in clutch from the three. Assuming his waiver is approved, Heath should get decent minutes but probably won’t start.
Akok Akok F | Junior
Pros of Akok Akok: He has BIG EAST playing experience. Cons of Akok Akok: He is injury-prone. After his breakout freshman season at UConn was cut short by an Achilles tendon injury, he played limited minutes during his sophomore season as he worked his way back to full health. Last year—his third at UConn, but with two years of NCAA eligibility left, making him a junior now—he played in almost as many games as his first season but wasn’t his freshman self. His shot-blocking and scoring abilities took a hit, and if the trend continues, he’ll probably be Georgetown’s back-up power forward this season, especially considering Ewing didn’t announce he was medically cleared for this season until Sept. 20. It’s assumed that he was listed to fill the starting four spot on the leaked depth chart, but that’s also assuming he can stay healthy. If he can find a way to return to his freshman dominance, then he’s practically guaranteed a starting spot.
Qudus Wahab C | Senior
No, Q isn’t technically new. He played two seasons in the Blue & Gray before transferring to Maryland for his junior season, and now he’s back after struggling to develop as a big in the Big Ten, which could be partially attributed to the Terrapins’ coaching change halfway through the season. He played a key role in the Hoyas’ 2020-21 BIG EAST Tournament run as a rebounder and scorer down low; having him back should be a significant help to the team, which struggled last year to find a big who could consistently play well. Wahab will take back his old starting position and will hopefully serve as a mentor to Ryan Mutombo, in addition to bringing Georgetown back to the more traditional big-man style of play that Coach Patrick Ewing so dearly loves.
Bradley Ezewiro F/C | Sophomore
Aside from Jay Heath, Bradley Ezewiro may be the biggest question mark on this roster. He played all of 26 minutes across six games for LSU last season and didn’t do anything worth noting in those minutes. He took a post-graduate year in 2020-21 but didn’t play organized basketball. In high school, he played for Oak Hill Academy but didn’t stand out on such an elite team. However, he excelled in AAU-style basketball summer tournaments where his athleticism and strength were on full display, translating into college offers. Nickelberry recruited him to the Hilltop amid some questions from fans and analysts, but his dominance in the Kenner League this summer shows us why he’s here.
D’Ante Bass F | Freshman
D’Ante Bass closed out his high school career with a dominant double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds) to win the Georgia 3A state championship. However, he has yet to be tested with NCAA-caliber competition, so how he’ll do in Division I remains to be seen. He’s a high-motor, athletic player but is relatively raw, relying on his innate athleticism to dominate. He’ll have to develop his jump shot quickly if he wants to see major minutes this year, but will definitely be playing a larger role in the program by his sophomore year, especially considering his rebounding skills and his versatility on defense. But for now, his minutes will be limited until he figures out how to score in the BIG EAST.
